Nipple-shield



No. 751,415. A PATENTED FEB. 2, 1904.

y NIPPLE SHIELD'. APPLICATION ILED SEPT. 29. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

me Nonms PETERS ou PwnO-Lrrrjw. wlwmomw, D, c. K I

UNITED STATES Patented February 2, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

NIPPLE-SHIELD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 751,415, dated February2, 1904.

Application filed September 29, 1903. Serial No. 175,051. (No model.)

-thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which-Figures l and 2 are respectively a sectional view and an elevation of ashield embodying my invention and made of a single piece of material,and Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views .of such a shield made of glass andrubber.

The object of my invention has been to pro- Vide a nipple-shield whichshall have the advantages of preventing the child from chewing itsmothers nipple, of preventing the mothers nipple from being drawn outo'r lengthened by nursing, and of permitting the child to be held asclosely as possible to the mother; and to such ends my inventionconsists in the nippleshield substantially as hereinafter specified. Incarrying my invention into practice I provide a shield A, shaped uponone side to conform to the breast, and upon such side having a cavity BWhich is of such shape and depth as to be nearly or quite filled by themothers nipple. `Upon the outer side of the shield an artificial nipplet is formed, such nipple being perforated by a plurality of holes a. Ashoulder a2 is formed at the base of the artificial nipple tol limit theextent to which the latter can enter the childs mouth.

In the alternative construction illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 a stiflIshield C is used. such shield being preferably made -of glass or hardrubber. The said shield upon its under side conforms to the shape of themothers breast and has a cavity D of such shape and size as to bepractically filled by the mothers nipple. The shield is provided with alflange c, over which fits the inturned edgeE of an artificial nipple F.The artificial nipple F, like the nipple a, is provided with a series ofperforations. The outer surface f of the base Gr of the artificialnipple forms a shoulder which prevents the nipple from entering thechilds mouth beyond the desired extent. Themanner of connecting theartificial nipple with the shield brings the former very close to thelatter, so that the child is close to the mothers breast.

It will be 'observed that in my Shield as the mothers nipple is entirelyinclosed in the shield it cannot be drawn out or elongated, and itcannot be chewed by the child, so that, as has been found in actualpractice, it is safe from all avoidable discomfort. It will also beobserved that the child cannot draw the artificial nipple into its mouthbeyond the desired extent and that the child' can be held very close tothe mothers breast. The form of artificial nipple with the perforationsmakes the nipple pliable, like a natural one, and prevents its beingcollapsed. The holes are preferably made large enough so that they canbe readily cleaned by inserting a Wire or other similar object throughthe holes.

Having thus described my invention,` whatv A nipple-shield, comprising ashield having a larger cavity to receive the breast, a smaller cavitycommunicating therewith that is adapted to receive and to be completelyfilled by the natural nipple in its natural condition, wherebyelongation of thenatural nipple is pre- Y' vented, having an artificialnipple of soft material directly over and close to said smaller nipple,said artificial nipple having a series of parallel perforationsextending therethrough, whereby very free passage for milk is providedand great elasticity of the artificial nipple results, and a shoulderformed at the base of the artificial nipple and approximately in thesame plane as the tip of the natural nipple, whereby the child isprevented from taking more than the articial nipple into the mouth andfrom chewing upon the natural nipple, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK P. PRINDLE Witnesses:

F. B. yGunnar, y l -W M. F. WATERBURY.

